What a Little Time Can Do
by S. T. Nickolian
Summary: Sesshomaru finds Kagome in a cave, with Inuyasha no where to be found. Seeing as she is heartbroken, he allows her to follow him. It's amazing what a little time can do to someone as cold as him. SessxKag


What a Little Time Can Do

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or the song "Missing," does that clear things up?

Kagome sat in the cave that was her shelter, tears streaming down her face just as the rain fell outside. Her heart was in pieces, as it usually was nowadays, after seeing Inuyasha with Kikyo, again.

Again, she had run away, not caring what direction she went, as long as she left them behind. It had started raining as she ran, causing her to barely be able to see. The raindrops had stung her skin, and, because she was half blind, she had tripped and run into things, bringing curs and bruises with the experiences.

She didn't care though. Just getting away mattered. It hurt to know that he had chosen Kikyo, after all they had been through, but Kagome couldn't bring herself to hate the hanyou, or even blame him for her pain.

So now here she sat broken and unprotected. The pink shards around her neck allowed comfortingly, as if not wanting her to be sad. Her midnight black hair fell down her back in a single braid, after all her travels it was now longer than Kikyo's. Her deep blue eyes had darkened in grief, and looking into them would make anyone cry in pity for her. Her voice was harsh from so much crying as she started to sing softly to herself, the song getter stronger as she went along.

"Please, please forgive me,  
But I won't be home again.  
Maybe someday you'll look up,  
And, barely conscious, you'll say to no one  
'Isn't something missing?'"

Kagome had never seriously considered leaving the group, but will as many times as her heard had been broken in just one week, she found the thought a little more appealing.

"You won't cry for my absence, I know-  
You forgot me long ago.  
Am I that unimportant…?  
Am I so insignificant…?  
Isn't something missing?  
Isn't someone missing me?"

Kagome's voice reached the ears of a silver-haired youkai, causing him to pause to listen to the miko's sad song. 'What is she doing all the way out here, without protection?'

"Even though I'm the sacrifice,  
You won't try for me, not now.  
Though I'd die know you love me,  
I'm all alone.  
Isn't someone missing me?"

Of Shippo, Sango and Miroku would miss her if she ever did leave, but Inuyasha would probably rant a little then go pick up the clay pot. Kagome hid her face behind her hands, but continued to sing.

"Please, please forgive me,  
But I won't be home again.  
I know what you do to yourself,  
I breathe and cry out,  
'Isn't something missing?  
Isn't someone missing me?'"

Kagome felt the large amount of approaching youki, but was too upset to care about it at the moment. Should she disappear? Would that be best?

"Even though I'm sacrifice,  
You won't try for me, not now.  
Though I'd die to know you love me,  
I'm all alone.  
Isn't something missing?"

Sesshomaru stood in front of a cave. The miko's voice was definitely coming from there, but he could not smell his insolent half-brother anywhere near there. He had left Rin and Jaken in a similar cave about a mile away, then scouted. After all this rain, Inuyasha wouldn't be able to follow the miko's scent, and judging by the randomly displaced follage, she wouldn't know how to return to him.

"And if I bleed, I'll bleed,  
Knowing you don't care.  
And if I sleep just to dream of you  
I'll wake without you there.  
Isn't something missing?  
Isn't something…"

Kagome watched as Sesshomaru entered the cave, and bowed as much as she could in her sitting position, all the while continuing to sing. She didn't care that this was the taiyoukai of the Western Lands and could probably kill her without a thought, but he had tried that before, yet here she sat.

"Even though I'm the sacrifice,  
You won't try for me, not now.  
Though I'd die to know you love me,  
I'm all alone.  
Isn't something missing?"

Kagome held out the last note and let the sound fade as she allowed Sesshomaru to scrutinize her.

Though he would never admit it out loud, the miko was able to make even a song that depressed sound beautiful. He looked her over. She was weary, probably from running, and had a few cuts and growing bruises; all in all, she wasn't in the best shape and wouldn't be able to defend herself, especially without a weapon.

"Miko." Kagome acknowledged him with a nod, and, even though it could end her life, she couldn't help but correct him.

"With all due respect, Sesshomaru-sama, I prefer to be called Kagome; miko makes me feel like Kikyo." To say Sesshomaru was surprised by her boldness would have been an understatement, but he made sure he didn't show any emotion and gave a short nod. She was a brave one; she didn't fear him, at least, not in her current state, and because of that, she reminded him of Rin, and it irritated him.

"Kagome." Said miko sent him a small smile before staring out at the rain again. "What are you doing so far away from your companions? Surely my half-brother was not stupid enough to run you off." He was surprised again when he heard Kagome laugh humorlessly.

"Whether he knows it or not, yes, he did run me off." Kagome hadn't meant to give out anymore than that, but her resolve was weak and thanks to her emotional trauma that she cracked under the weight of the of the taiyoukai's inquiring gaze. "I'm tired of having my heartbroken."

Sesshomaru blinked once and looked her over again, paying close attention to any signs of stress or emotional pain. There were faint and dark circles around her eyes, which he wouldn't have been able to see with his youkai sense. He noticed that she was considerably thinner than when he had first seen her, though most of what was left was muscle from traveling Japan for a year. What struck him most were her eyes; the once bright sapphire orbs had faded to a dull blue-gray.

Sesshomaru considered his choices of what to do with the miko, since he had determined that it was far too dangerous for a defenseless miko with the Shikon no Tama to be left in a cave alone. He could smell out the hanyou and return the girl to him, or he could take her with him for a time, at least until Inuyasha came to get her. The latter was probably the better choice, considering she did not appear to want to return to his half-brother just yet, besides, Tin could use a companion other than Jaken. Well, that and Sesshomaru had grown to respect the miko, albeit grudgingly.

"Kagome, you may travel with this Sesshomaru until Inuyasha comes to find you." Kagome's eyes widened as she turned to face the taiyoukai. His face was still emotionless, but his eyes showed mild concern.

This was the chance she had to leave, but judging by the growing annoyance in the golden eyes, she didn't have a choice, he was just going through the formalities. Smiling a little dejectedly, she nodded. "Hai, arigato, Sesshomaru-sama."

Sesshomaru gave a curt nod before turning to exit the cave. Kagome hastily stood to follow. She knew Sango, Miroku and Shippo would understand once they found her, even if Inuyasha didn't. They had already been planning a way to get Inuyasha to let her go home for a time; she needed time away to recuperate after all the heart break she was going through.

Going with Sesshomaru wasn't exactly the vacation she was planning on, but it was a vacation nonetheless.

* * *

"Sesshomaru-sama!" A little girl in an orange and white checkered kimono ran to the taiyoukai the moment he stepped into another cave and latched onto his leg, not minding that he was nearly soaked. "Rin has missed you!" 

Sesshomaru patted the girl on the head while looking down at her bright smile. "Rin, have you behaved yourself?" The girl hadn't noticed the wet miko standing a few paces behind her lord, but said miko watched as the taiyoukai's eyes softened a fraction.

"Hai! Rin stayed in the cave like you asked, but Jaken-sama fell asleep again." Sesshomaru lifted his gaze to the sleeping toad, nose bubble and all. Kagome had to contain her laughter, only letting a small chuckle escape, one that Sesshomaru ignored, but Rin heard then noticed her for the first time.

She squealed in delight then ran over to latch onto the miko's leg, much like she had done to Sesshomaru. "Kagome-onee-san! Rin is SO happy to see you! When the rain stops Rin will go pick flowers and you can show Rin how to make all sorts of things!" Kagome smiled warmly down at the girl.

"I'd love to Rin-chan, but I'm wet and cold; do you have a fire?" Rin nodded enthusiastically before grabbing her hand and dragging her to sit by the fire, chatting the entire way.

After a half an hour, Kagome's clothes were finally dry enough to sleep in, and since she was tired, she convinced Rin to go to sleep as well.

"Hai! Rin and Kagome-nee-san need sleep in order to do everything we planned to tomorrow!" With that statement Rin ran to the cave entrance where Sesshomaru say to bid him goodnight. With Rin asleep, Kagome laid beside the fire to keep warm in the night then tried to fall asleep.

Sesshomaru listened until the miko's breathing evened out before turned to watch her. How could someone that tried to seem so strong in the sunlight, seem so vulnerable at night? She looked weak, something the loud usually frowned upon, but with her, it made him feel… protective, something he had only felt with Rin now.

Sesshomaru sighed imperceptibly and turned back to the rain. _What is it about you, Kagome, that makes even this Sesshomaru want to keep you from harm?_ Then only response to his question was the patter of the rain, and Jaken's snoring.

Sesshomaru scowled out at the rain. _I'll have to punish him for falling asleep tomorrow._

* * *

Jaken was sporting five rather large bumps on his head the next morning, eliciting a giggle from both girls in the cave. Jaken tried to scowl through his injuries, but only succeeded in making the giggles turn into full out laughter. The toad could have sworn that he heard a nearly silent but deep chuckle coming from the general direction of a well known and feared taiyoukai. 

"Jaken-sama looks funny." Rin managed to say through her outburst, while Kagome could only nod. Jaken tried to give them his best glare and was about to mutter something about incompetent, baka ningens, when Sesshomaru caught his eye and he remembered this lord's warning from earlier that morning: "If you disrespect Kagome while she is with us, this Sesshomaru will personally mangle your body enough that even Tenseiga would not be able to bring you back."

The toad shuddered at the recent memory and wisely kept his mouth shut.

"Kagome-nee-san! Look! The rain has stopped!" Kagome turned to view the entrance to the cave to see that her 'little sister's' declaration was correct. "Now Nee-san and Rin can pick flowers and gather food together!"

The child's excitement was contagious and soon the young miko had caught it too. Just before she exited the cave, she turned to Sesshomaru. "Will you require anything, Sesshomaru-sama?"

Jaken's jaw fell to the cave floor in shock; a ningen miko had just asked a taiyoukai if he needed anything other than any last words, and had inadvertently insulted him in the process. When he was about to scold the miko, Sesshomaru answered.

"Iie; this Sesshomaru does not eat ningen food." He kept his gaze level with hers, almost daring her to challenge him on that point. Kagome only smiled and bowed slightly at the waist before following Rin out of the cave, she knew that even though Rin called her 'sister,' she would have to pay more respect to the taiyoukai than his ward does, since she was only temporary.

The rest of the day consisted of gathering food and flowers, all under the watchful eyes of Ah-Un, sometimes Sesshomaru, and the less than watchful eyes of Jaken. Kagome found that she was somehow always smiling now, whether at the childish innocence of Rin, the idiocy of Jaken, or even at Sesshomaru; she had never smiled this much around Inuyasha, because he would always find some way to put her down, whether with an insult or otherwise.

That night, they stayed in the same cave as before, only this time Kagome and Rin sat at the entrance to the cave, watching the stars. Kagome would point out constellations and the Milky Way to the child as Rin took everything in with wonder.

Sesshomaru watched them from deeper in the cave, also is awe at the miko's knowledge, though he would never show it. When Rin started to drift off to sleep, he called her in and put her to bed. Kagome stayed up to watch the starts more and didn't notice when Sesshomaru came to stand beside her.

"Where did you learn so much about the sky?" Kagome gave a slight start at the appearance of the youkai. "Even this Sesshomaru has not heard of the things of which you speak." Though he was speaking you her, he too looked out at the sky.

Kagome smiled. "I come from five hundred years in the future, that is why my clothes and habits are different from the natives here." Sesshomaru turned to gaze at her, watching her eyes for a lie. "The studies of the stars and other things are more advanced in my time and are taught to everyone who can pay for it, even girls."

Seeing no falsehood in her eyes, he looked her over to see what good a day's rest had done to the girl. Her eyes were beginning to shine again, and her face looked more youthful and less stretched. She looked much more attractive than the night before, for a ningen anyway.

Since he was intrigued with the studies of her time, he began questioning her on the constellations that she knew. He received full answers from her, not the short and indistinct ones he had expected, on those and any other questions he asked.

Soon after Kagome went to bed, Sesshomaru left in search of his half-brother. He had not asked the miko half the things he wanted to and needed to make sure that the hanyou didn't show up any time soon. He covered his aura and scent to shield himself from both the monk and Inuyasha.

"Where the hell could she have gone?! Stupid wench, always getting herself into trouble!" Inuyasha was pacing around a clearing, looking as if he would kill anything that moved.

"You must calm yourself, Inuyasha; ranting will not help Kagome-sama in this case." Miroku, ever so wise, said in a calm voice that was exact opposite of what he was really feeling. "The rain washed away her scent, so unfortunately we cannot find her that way. I'm sure that she would not be foolish enough to wander around unprotected; she has probably found a cave in which to stay until we find her."

"If she hadn't run off we wouldn't need to find her!" Inuyasha punched a tree not far from Sesshomaru's hiding place and watched it tumble to the ground.

"Well, if you hadn't gone to Kikyo, she wouldn't have run off!" Sango yelled, furious at the hanyou for trying to pin this on Kagome. Everyone knew that Inuyasha would always go to Kikyo, but somehow Kagome had always been able to hope that she would be able to a find a way into his heart.

Inuyasha grew quiet, because he knew that the taijiya was right. The silence was broken only by Shippo's sobbing as he cuddled against the thing that smelled like his adoptive mother most, her giant yellow backpack.

"Let us get some sleep so that we may begin our search in the morning." Following Miroku's command, the group settled in for the night, except Inuyasha who watched over them from a tree.

Having heard all her needed, Sesshomaru left the clearing to return to his own companions, only stopping to down a young stag for the girls before they started traveling in the morning.

* * *

It had been two weeks since Kagome had joined Sesshomaru's traveling band and everyday since the morning when Sesshomaru had brought a stag for her and Rin, the taiyoukai had been with them instead of going off to fight Naraku or some other senseless demon. Sure he would go off once a night after the miko was asleep to check Inuyasha's progress and kill whatever demons were suicidal enough to challenge him, but he was there every morning when they woke up. 

Sesshomaru and Kagome had grown close enough for get her to not have to refer to him as –sama and would even joke with him from time to time. In return, at night, when they were the only ones awake, he would grace her with a smile. It was these moments that Kagome clung to.

Kagome and Rin say around the camp fire, chatting as usual. Sesshomaru had had to leave early to make his rounds since some demons were getting closer than he was comfortable with, and Jaken, as usual, had fallen asleep. Ah-Un was dozing slightly, but was still aware of their surroundings.

"Kagome-onee-san?" Rin seemed a little more excited than usual and was shifting her weight from side to side even as she sat.

"Hai, Rin-chan?" Kagome was leaning back on her palms and was staring at the stars, like she had the first time she had had a civil conversation with Sesshomaru.

"Are you and Sesshomaru-sama going to be Rin's new parents?" The innocent question brought Kagome's head forward sharply.

"N-nani?" The miko's eyes were wide, how could she even think that? Sesshomaru hated humans! Sure he would show his emotions more around her, but that didn't mean he loved her!

Rin started to repeat her question when Kagome's eyes widened even more and she dove over the fire, tackling Rin to the ground.

Rin opened her eyes to see Kagome's face contorted in pain. A thick, red liquid was trickling down the miko's arms then dripped to the ground, one landing on the girl's face. Rin's eyes widened and tears began to form. Kagome had protected her, and now she was hurt, bad.

"Kagome-onee-san…" Kagome looked at Rin and tried to smile.

"Hand over the shards, filthy ningen wench!" A youkai had somehow concealed itself and now stood over Kagome its claws still in her back.

* * *

Sesshomaru was walking through the forest, back to camp. He was considering his relationship with Kagome. She was growing on him, that much was certain, and he could see in her now bright eyes that she was getting over Inuyasha. For some reason, this pleased him, and he was… grateful that she was with him. 

A metallic scent was brought to the taiyoukai by the suddenly strong wind, causing him to pause. Once he placed the scent, his mind went into a state of panic and he began running. It was Kagome's blood.

* * *

The enemy youkai threw Kagome against a tree, while completely ignoring Rin's wailing, Ah-Un's growling, and Jaken's threats. Kagome fell to the ground, trying not to cry out. She didn't want to be so weak, and she probably would have been able to purify it, if it weren't for the monstrous pain in her back, keeping her from concentrating.

"You'll never get," Kagome had to pause to spit out blood, "the jewel." Sure, it probably wasn't the best thing she could have said as she tried to stand, but she was going to make sure that what she proclaimed came true.

The youkai roared and charged at her, and she closed her eyes to wait for the added pain. It never came, instead there was the crack of a whip and a heavy thud.

Kagome tentatively opened her eyes to see Sesshomaru standing about a very dead youkai. He was trying to even his breathing and, more importantly, calm his inner demon. The red started to retreat from his eyes and the eerie green glow faded from his claws.

The sight of Sesshomaru trying to protect her brought a slight smile to Kagome's lips as she drifted into unconsciousness. "Arigato…" She fell to the ground again.

Taking a last shuddering breath, he turned to the miko. The condition she was in nearly made him lose control again. She had large gashes in her back that were bleeding freely, and at least three broken ribs from her impact with the tree. Sesshomaru took a few more moments calming his demon down, to make sure he did harm her more, before approaching her.

The taiyoukai picked her up as calmly and carefully as he could and didn't even glace at Jaken while issuing his warning. "If anything happens to Rin, this Sesshomaru will personally rip you apart, Jaken." His voice was as hard and cold as ice as he spoke. Immediately after, Sesshomaru summoned his light ball and sped off to the village that Kagome and her friends often stayed at. What was the old miko's name? Kieda? Kaeda? Keada? Kaede? That was it, Kaede. She would be able to help, or else...

* * *

He reached the village in a matter of minutes and landed just outside it. He set out at a strong pace that would not make him appear to be in a hurry to the elder miko's hut, ignoring the screams that came from the terrified villagers.

When the miko came out of the hut, she had her bow and arrows with her, but immediately dropped them at the the sight of the unconscious and broken Kagome.

"Kagome! What happened?" The old miko didn't seem to care that she was talking to a taiyoukai; she was too worried about her student and friend.

"She was attacked for the jewel shards while under this Sesshomaru's protection, but I was scouting. The youkai is dead." A pang of guilt hit Sesshomaru; he should have been there to protect her.

"There is nothing ye could do about the youkai, but if we hurry, we will be able to save Kagome." Kaede quickly directed Sesshomaru to take the girl into the hut and to set her down on the futon.

"I know ye do not wish to be here, Sesshomaru-sama, but I am imploring ye, please stay by Kagome's side until I return." The taiyoukai hesitated but gave a curt nod and watched as the old woman retreated from the hut to get the supplies she needed.

Once she was gone, he sighed heavily and ran his hand through his hair. He hadn't realized how important Kagome had become to him in such a short time. Now he had almost lost her, and she would probably never forgive him.

He paused the. 'Arigato…' Her last word rang though his head. She had thanked him, not cursed him; she wasn't angry with him.

"Sesshomaru…" Said taiyoukai whirled around to face the awake and bleeding miko. Her eyes were a little dulled and her skin was a pasty white. "Is… Rin alright?"

Once again, Sesshomaru was shocked at the depth of the miko's heart. Even in her current condition, Kagome was still more worried about the child than she was about herself. "Hai, Rin is safe and well." Kagome smiled and sighed. He heard her mumble something akin to "thank goodness," before looking back up at him.

Sesshomaru searched her eyes for any sign of accusation or anger, but only found calm understanding. Again, he wondered at the girl's resilience and his brother's idiocy. "I'm sorry." He whispered, but was sure that she heard it, because her face took on a look of confusion.

"For what? It's not your fault this happened. I can't expect you to be there to save me all the time." She was smiling again, though she would wince at the pain if she moved too much. "You had things you had to do; other priorities that are _much_ higher than protecting me."

Kagome suddenly gasped and gave a small cry at a particularly harsh wave of pain. Sesshomaru knelt by her side, again analyzing her wounds. If the old woman didn't come back soon, her wounds would become infected. He took a small bowl of water that he smelled was fresh and a clean clothe and began to clean her wounds, that much he could do.

"Gomen, I haven't done or had to do this before." Kagome looked up at him, slightly surprised that he was both confiding in her and dropping the "this Sesshomaru." She smiled up at him nonetheless and tried her best to contain her winces of pain.

"You're doing fine, you start around the wound and gently wipe away the clotted and dried blood, then very carefully dab the wound itself so you don't open up what might have already closed." Sesshomaru followed her instructions until he had cleaned all he could without imposing upon her modesty and sat beside her.

_What is taking that woman so long?_ Sesshomaru wonder as he gazed down at the miko. Despite her reassurances, he still felt guilty, and wished he had been there. The faint scent of his half-brother was becoming stronger, no doubt he had smelled Kagome's blood, meaning that he would be able to return to Rin and Jaken with Kagome without a confrontation.

"What's on your mind?" Sesshomaru looked down at the object of his growing affections. She had an innocent smile on her face. "You're irritated about something, and I want to know what."

Sesshomaru graced her with a small smile. "I was merely wondering how I was going to take you away from my idiot half- brother." Kagome was shocked by his answer for a moment, but smirked up at him a little mischievously.

"So, what do you propose?" Sesshomaru's smile grew into a smirk that matched her own. She wanted to go with him just as much as he wanted her to come, but they both knew that it wouldn't happen; Inuyasha would no doubt find out and would be furious.

Sesshomaru hesitated slightly before tucking a strand of hair that fell in her face behind her ear. "For now we will forget about this; Inuyasha will be more over protective and upset if he ever finds out." He took in her appearance, tattered though it may be, and he still found her beautiful. He didn't know when he began thinking of her this way, but he was now, and that was all he cared about.

Kagome leaned into the touch of his hand, which still rested on her cheek. He had been more respectful to her in two weeks than Inuyasha had been in the entire year and a half they had known each other. His touch was… comforting, if you could call an inu taiyoukai that.

Sesshomaru's heightened hearing caught bits of Inuyasha's angered cries as he caught the taiyoukai's scent. Wanting to be able to do this without interruptions, Sesshomaru leaned over Kagome and caught her lips with his.

Kagome's eyes widened before they slowly fell closed. The kill was soft and undemanding, yet at the same time, Sesshomaru seemed to be begging; begging for what, she didn't know but she had a feeling that it was to wait for him.

When he pulled back, she found herself missing the warmth his lips had provided her. He head still hovered over her and his warm breath mingled with her own.

"Whenever you are in danger, I will be there to protect you." He took his hand away form her cheek and reached into his obi to pull out a silver chain with a pendant on it. "This will always tell me where you are and if you are in danger. Be careful not to let Inuyasha see it."

He held it in front of her so she could truly see it. The pendant was made of the purest silver and a sapphire in the shape of a crescent moon, matching the symbol on the taiyoukai's forehead was incased inside it. Runes and kangis were inscribed on the silver, and on the flipside was a mirror. Within it, Kagome saw herself, nothing special.

"The mirror is to remind you of who you are; never let anyone tell you that you are someone else. The hanyou will try to tell you that you are the dead miko's reincarnation, and the ookami will tell you that you are his woman, so when you need to remember who you really are, just look in the mirror." With this said, he slipped over her head.

Sesshomaru stood abruptly, leaving Kagome a little shocked, until Kaede came into the hut. "Arigatou, Sesshomaru-sama, ye may leave now." Kaede came over to Kagome and began to bandage her.

Sesshomaru gave a curt nod along with a lingering glance to Kagome and swept out of the room, encountering Kagome's friends no more than five meters from the hut.

"Sesshomaru-teme!" Inuyasha growled, gripping Tetsusaiga. "What did you do to Kagome!?" The kitsune child was in tears and was looking at Sesshomaru with fear written in his eyes, not for himself, but for his surrogate mother. The monk was trying to appear calm, but the death grip he had on his staff revealed how tense he was. The taijiya surprised him the most; her head was bowed and her grip on her boomerang was slack, but the worst part was her eyes, they were dull, as if she had given up.

Sesshomaru snorted lightly at the mismatched group. "This Sesshomaru would think that you would thank this Sesshomaru, little brother." Inuyasha's anger turned to shock then quickly went to rage. Sesshomaru enjoyed seeing that he had this much influence over his half-brother's emotions, but if the idiot kept the wrong idea in his head and attacked with the wind scar, it would hit the hut. "For if it were not for this Sesshomaru, Kagome would have died."

This statement caused the hanyou to stop his growling. Shippo looked up at Sesshomaru, disbelief, relief, and growing awe and respect in his eyes. Miroku gaped at the taiyoukai then heaved a great sigh of relief. Sango slowly lifted her head, hope and fear in her once again bright eyes. Sesshomaru gestured with his eyes for her to go to the hut.

Sango ran into the hut, not stopping to put the hiraikotsu until she was by her sister's side. "Kagome-chan? Is that really you?" Kagome looked up from watching Kaede bandage her wounds and smiled at the taijiya.

"Hai, it's really me, Sango-chan." Both girls began to cry, one from happiness and relief, the other from… just happiness and a little pain.

Sesshomaru smelled the salt of her tears, but also felt the happiness in Kagome's aura, so he knew that she was alright. He resisted the urge to run back to hold her once more before he left, but that would clue in Inuyasha, and that was unacceptable.

He focused on the kitsune, who was creeping forward, despite the monk's frantic whispering; Inuyasha was still in chock. When he arrived at Sesshomaru's feet, he looked up at him then back at the ground. "Anou…" He began pawing the ground with his foot, probably out of nervousness.

"Speak kit; my quarrel is with Inuyasha, not you or your mother." Sesshomaru watched with amusement as the child looked up at him sheepishly before beaming at him.

"Arigatiou gozaimasu for saving my 'kaa-san!" Shippo was giving him the same smile that Rin would, and often did, causing him to unconsciously give a small smile in return.

Inuyasha, who had finally come out of his shock and was about to start yelling again, saw the smile and nearly feinted. "Who are you and what have you done with my brother?!:

Shippo began laughing as the hanyou continued to make a fool of himself. "Oi! Inu-no-baka! Use your nose!" Sesshomaru chuckled very softly at the kitsune's antics, which caused him to smile at the taiyoukai again.

"Shippo!" Inuyasha glanced at Sesshomaru to make sure he wouldn't do anything as of yet and started chasing the kit, while Sesshomaru watched it all with amusement.

"Ah! 'Kaa-san! Inuyasha's hurting me!" This caused said hanyou to stop cold and try to quiet the kit's crying, but it was too late.

"Inuyasha! Don't you dare hurt my kit! OSUWARI!" Inuyasha's rosary glowed and the hanyou met his new friend, the dirt, and began teaching a large variety of choice words.

As hard as it was to leave the female he was now courting, Sesshomaru turned and began walking away. He was falling for a human, just like his father and later on his half-brother. He had only really known her for about two weeks, but he still fell for her, hard.

Looking up at the sky, he's father's home, he gave a soft smile. 'It's amazing what a little time can do, even to someone as cold as me.'

* * *

AN: I know I probably made Inuyasha sound like a jerk, but I honestly don't mind him; my story More than Just Friends is an InuKag, so I don't hate him! I just was listening to "Missing" and thought of a oneshot, and I wanted to try to write a SessKag, so here we are. 

This is the longest oneshot I have written, not to mention the longest author's note, and I hope anyone who is reading More than Just Friends will forgive me for not updating in so long. The fifth chapter is over twelve pages long, and it took me a while to find the lyrics to the song I wanted to use, so I'm Sorry! The fifth chapter, Kagura's Passing, will be up very soon, I promise.

I'm also starting an InuyashaxYuYuHakusho crossover called All Because of a Kitsune, if anyone's interested. It started out as a oneshot to get through some writer's block, but it sort of evolved. I'm not exactly sure where it's going, so if someone could read the first chapter once I get it up and help me come up with a plot, I would really appreciate it.

Thanks everyone for reading, and once again I am extremely sorry for everyone who is reading my other story!


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